Wow ... just the fact it was down in the dash ... you'd think it was an anklet you found instead of a bracelet .... Here's what most people find ...
The noises sound like a bearing spinning in the case. I would disassemble it and inspect. It could be something making a rotor scratch the wall or a bearing freezing up. Either way you need to take it down and find out.
thanks for the info. but i swapped it out for a known good one...(thanks Mike). also it had a lot of drag when you would spin it by hand. the other one would spin more freely. note...the blower box was super easy to remove...(1) plug (2) vac. lines and (1) bolt remove bolt first (in mouth of floor duct). ... ...